…scoffs at the allegations, says he is no longer SG
Beverly Bizeki
In yet another interesting twist of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) factionalism and recalls, former ward 3 (now ward 2) councilor Roki Kamuzonda who is also contesting for the ward in tomorrow (Dec 9) by-election has fingered former party secretary general Charlton Hwende as the man behind ward 2 double candidates standoff.
The ward fell vacant after the recall of Shantiel Chiwara who is also contesting for the same ward on CCC ticket.
Speaking at an engagement meeting organized by Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) in Masvingo on December 7, 2023 Kamuzonda distanced self from self-anointed SG Sengezo Tshabangu saying his papers were signed by Hwende whom he said was the Secretary General for the party.
Roki had initially distanced himself from Tshabangu and mentioned that his papers were signed in Harare.
“I have never met Tshabangu as people say, he is not the one who signed my papers but they were signed by Hwende (Chalton). Is it my problem when I have been called to get my papers signed? Why am I being verbally assaulted? Is Hwende not the Secretary General of the party?” said Kamuzonda.
Kamuzonda said he was not power hungry saying in August he pulled out despite the fact that the party had chosen Chiwara over him though he had commanded more followers than her.
“Primary elections were done and four processes were made and for your own information Chiwara was not there in the first, second and third processes, she came on the last process and she came kubereka mwana (candidate selection) and I won that process and was followed by Frank Chirairo who was also followed by one Chikara with Shantiel on fourth position then Linnet Sibanda on the fifth position.
“The leadership in Harare communicated with me after winning that process, congratulated me and said I was the candidate. I got my nomination papers but it was said by Farai Chinobva a signature was missing my forms were taken. In about 10 minutes I met Chiwara saying she had just submitted her papers considering all the effort I had put in campaigning, being told I was no longer a candidate on nomination day hurt me and that is why I filed as independent.
“Later on, I received calls from the leadership and they asked me why I had filed as independent, they said there was an error and I had a future in the party and promised me something of which asked them to come and talk to me in person which they did though I cannot name them here, that is how I agreed to withdraw,” he said.
However, Hwende scoffed at Kamuzonda’s claim that he is the one who signed his papers and said he could be mad to make that claim since he was not a party signatory nor the SG.
“He is mad, how can I sign his papers when I was not a signatory. I am not an SG but just a mere member of the party. You can cross check with ZEC to see if I was a signatory, how could I have signed his papers because I am not even the SG those are Zanu PF agents who were assigned to destroy our party.
He doesn’t even have my number so how could I have done that, it’s clear he was signed for by Tshabangu not anyone from the party,” said Hwende.
CCC was thrown into turmoil by Tshabangu who ran amok and recalled a sizable number of MPs, senators and councilors.
The latest on the matter however is that the High Court of Zimbabwe has ruled in favor of Tshabangu that the recalled candidates should not participate in the upcoming by- elections as CCC members.
In ward 2 Kamuzonda will battle it out with Chiwara, Chirairo a CCC member who contested as Independent and Zanu PF’s Benson Hwata.
